the new vacation rental is a labour of love by a husband-and-wife team
Settling into a chic hideaway alongside one of Venice’s many canals is one of the best ways to experience the city in style. Though not quite a palace fit for a doge, Palazzo Volpi, the city’s newest luxe apartment accommodations, is an ideal alternative to the classic Grand Dame hotel for those looking for just a bit more privacy. Opened earlier this month in the heart of Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo on Venice’s north end, the complex’s three separate apartments are a design lover’s dream — offering a chic, neutral, swathed haven from the crumbling pastel buildings and winding canals outside.
Housed within a 16th-century building originally part of the ornate Palazzo Grimani, the Palazzo has been reimagined after 70 years of disrepair by the interior-designer and husband-and-wife team of Anna Covre and Fredrick Tubau. The pair worked hard to preserve the building’s original character and architectural features, pairing restored beams, floor-to-ceiling windows, and façade with a modern Italian and French design ethos (Covre was raised in Venice, Tubau in Paris). Each of the resulting apartments has been carefully decorated with custom furniture designed by Covre and Tubau — all of which are available to be purchased through special order should guests fall in love with the space’s modern-meets-classic aesthetic.
This artful mix is displayed no better than on the ground floor in the complex’s 1,700-square-foot, three-bedroom Suite I. With space for up to five guests, the apartment features two en suite double bedrooms and one single bedroom, all outfitted with plush four-poster beds and indulgent satin Frette bed linens. When guests aren’t out exploring the city (San Marco and the Rialto are just a quick 10-minute walk away), elegant meals can be prepared in the suite’s state-of-the-art kitchen and can be enjoyed in the lush Venetian Courtyard.
The one-bedroom Suite II and Suite III offer similarly luxe amenities, making them perfect for couples looking for a sleek place to retreat from the world. Both boast tranquil views of the ground-level courtyard and the historic Campo Santi Giovanni outside. All three suites come complete with hotel-like amenities, including daily maid service and concierges that can help make reservations at some of the city’s most exclusive restaurants and arrange for private tours of some of the city’s must-hit sights.
